Diltiazem having a chemical name of 3-(acetyloxy)-5-[2-(dimethylamino)ethyl]-2,3-dihydro-2-(4-methoxyphenyl)-1 ,5-benzothiazepin-4(5H)-one is a coronary vasodilator useful in the treatment of angina and has calcium blocking activity as described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,562,257. In addition, it has recently been reported by Robert S. Gibson et al. in the New England Journal of Medicine, Vol. 315, Issue #7, pages 423-429 (Aug. 14, 1986) that diltiazem prevents an often fatal second heart attack from occurring during a patient's recovery from a first heart attack. Other 1,5-benzothiazepines are disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,585,768 and in published European patent application 158,340.
Other calcium blockers useful against angina are those described in my U.S. Ser. No. 665,684 filed Oct. 29, 1984 which corresponds to my published European patent application 146,271 published June 26, 1985.
It is an object of the present invention to provide calcium blockers having high levels of activity in the treatment of angina pectoris in mammals, e.g. humans, and having activity in the prevention of heart attacks in mammals, particularly the occurrence of a second heart attack by treatment of a patient during recovery from a first heart attack.